SoundBits: Yeeee-Haw! It’s… Spanky Brown?

When you tune into The Spanky Brown Show, be prepared for anything, all of it outrageous. From his James Brown-inspired opening track to his twisted entertainment-news updates to his rambunctious confabs with fellow comedians, the funnyman is incapable of delivering a dull moment. What’s more,the Memphis resident, who’s regularly featured on BET’s Comic View, frequently hosts his BTR show from clubs across America where he’s performing. So don’t be surprised to hear a gaggle of listeners giggling in the background. Until then, please put your hands together for Mr. Spanky Brown...

Spanky: Kickin' it old-school style.

Give us a 15-second pitch for your show—why should listeners tune in?

I’m on a one-man mission to put the comedy back into comedy, and get rid of the celebrity. Some of the funniest people in this business are the ones most Americans have never heard of. These are the people I’m fortunate to know, and try to interview as often as possible.

Tell us two things listeners would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m a minister’s son. And I love country music.

Who’s your broadcasting hero?

Memphis DJ Rick Dees, host of the internationally-syndicated radio program Weekly Top 40.

If you could book any person on earth as a guest on your show, who would it be and why?

I’d say Richard Pryor, because he could straighten out a lot of what’s wrong with comedy these days. Shock ain’t funny. Anybody can be vulgar. There’s a difference between the kind of profanity Richard used like a poet and the kind of vulgarity I see in a lot of young comedians’ acts. Personally, I try to be funny, clever and relatable. And I hope comedy moves back in that direction. [Editor’s Note: Richard Pryor, widely acknowledged as the greatest standup comedian of all time, passed away in 2005. Even if he did phone into Spanky’s show from the great beyond, we imagine the connection would leave much to be desired.]

As we speak, what are you wearing?

No telling. But I do have a hat on.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done while in the middle of hosting your show?

Sat at a table, mic in hand, with the people who’d come to the show, and did my act. Three of them were there because they’d just had an accident and were waiting for the cops to arrive. The club manager paid me in coins that night.